Transformer brace



MW 18, 1937- H. CHURCHILL TRANSFORMER BRAGE FiledNov. 16, 1954 INVENTORATTORNEY Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,080,460TRANSFORMER BRACE Application November 16, 1934, Serial No. 753,351

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in transformer braces.

Transformer hangers are frequently provided comprising verticallydisposed relatively spaced supporting straps secured to the transformercasings and having hook-shaped upper ends engaging the cross-arms oftransmission line poles, the lower end of the straps being engaged bybraces or supports which rest against the pole and hold the transformercasing in an upright position.

It is an object of this invention to provide a brace or support for thestrap hangers of a transformer casing removably and securely engagingthe lower ends of the hangers without bolts or other extra parts,thereby to hold the casing in an upright position and to simplify theoperations of hanging a transformer on a pole.

A further object is to provide transformer hangers and braces which willrequire less operations to manufacture than has heretofore beennecessary.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating anembodiment of this invention as applied to a transformer casing whenmounted on a pole.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1, aportion of the pole being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form ofthe invention.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views similar to Fig. 3 andillustrating further modified forms of this invention, the views beingsmaller than Figs. 3 and 4.

Thruout the several views, like parts are identified by the samereference characters.

The transformer casing I is provided with a pair of vertically spacedlugs 2 for each of the hanger straps 3 and to which the straps aresecured by means of nuts 4 engaging their respective stud bolts 5. Theupper ends of the hanger straps 3 converge vertically relative to eachother at the portions 6 and terminate at the ends in hooks I whichextend over the cross-arm 8 on the pole 9. The hooks I may be secured tothe crossarm by means of spikes or screws I0. The lower ends of thehanger straps 3 extend below the bottom of the transformer casing I andare engaged by a brace or support II.

The brace or support I I shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, comprises anintermediate arcuate portion I2, relatively parallel portions I3extending from. the

ends of the arcuate portion I2, and U-shaped arms I4 having their openends disposed outwardly and exteriorly relative to the portions I3 ofthe brace. As shown, these U-shaped arms receive the lower ends of thehanger straps 3, preferably in frictional engagement therewith. 5 Thebrace may be secured to the pole I by means of a screw bolt I5.

The modified form shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that shown in Fig. 3except that the arms I4A are bent inwardly to provide the Us havingtheir 10 open ends disposed adjacent the inner faces I5 of the portionsI3. The arms MA in Fig. 4 engage the hanger straps 3 in the same manneras the arms I4 engage the hanger straps illustrated in Fig. 3. 15

It will be noted that in the braces shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the arms I4-I4A are shaped so that the open end of the Us face outwardly relative toeach other, whereas in Figs. 5 and 6 the U- shaped arms I'I-II'A areshaped so that the Us open inwardly relative to each other. Themodifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6 operate in the same manner as thatdescribed in reference to the forms illustarted in Figs. 3 and 4, butthe arcuate portions I8 of the braces are shorter in length than thearcuate portions I2 in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus, a minimum amount of metal isrequired to manufacture the braces illustrated in Figs. 5 and and 6.

In mounting the transformer casing on a pole, 30 the brace I I may befirst secured to the pole and then the transformer casing with thehanger straps secured thereto may be elevated from the groundsufficiently to permit the lower ends of the hanger straps to beinserted in the U-shaped arms of the brace and at the same time to hookthe hanger straps on the cross-arm of the pole.

If the brace II is provided with its U-shaped arms engaging the lowerends of the brackets with suflicient friction to hold them in engage- 4Ument therewith, they may be mounted on the lower ends of the hangerstraps 3 before the transformer casing I is mounted on the crossarm 8 asshown. After the transformer casing has been thus mounted, the brace Ilmay be secured to the pole by means of the bolt I5.

It will be noted that no bolts or other means are provided for securingthe U-shaped arms of the brace I I to the hanger straps 3. Heretofore ithas been found necessary to secure the lower ends of the hanger strapsto the braces in order to prevent the transformer from swaying on thecross-arm of its supporting pole. The bolts usually provided for thispurpose serve no other purpose. In the present invention such bolts orsecuring 55 strip metal bent to form an arcuate portion, a pair ofspaced relatively parallel portions each extending from an end of thearcuate portion, and a pair of U-shaped arms extending angularly fromthe relatively parallel portions.

2. In a transformer hanger having a pair of spaced vertically extendingstraps, a brace for the lower ends of said straps, said brace comprisinga single piece of strip metal having an intermediate arcuate portion andits ends bent to provide substantially parallel portions and U- shapedarms disposed in a common plane and at right angles relative to theparallel portions.

HOMER CHURCHILL.

